On Friday, September 3, 2010, Delaware’s Senior U.S. Senator, Thomas R. Carper, spoke to Widener Law faculty and staff on theDelaware campus at a luncheon to kick-off faculty development events for the year.

Associate Dean for Faculty Research & Development Erin Daly offered a brief introduction, saying, “I’m really thrilled to be able towelcome Senator Carper.” She cited a brief list of his accomplishments and noted that he “has worked tirelessly for Delaware.”

Senator Carper opened his remarks with some brief personal anecdotes. He spoke first of his time in the Navy, saying, “I got a lot ofthings out of my time in the Navy, but the biggest thing I learned was not to give up.” He also spoke of a meeting he had with now Chef Justice John Roberts during the confirmation process in which Roberts related meeting his wife in Dewey Beach, Delaware.

The Senator also spoke about partisan politics in Washington and his distaste for them, noting, “My job in the Senate is to get people towork together.” Following his brief remarks, he took questions from the audience. The questions touched on topics such as stimulating the economy, the role that money plays in politics, and healthcare.

Thomas R. Carper was born in Beckley, West Virginia. He earnedhis undergraduate degree in economics from Ohio State University and then served as a Naval Flight Officer from 1968 to 1973, flying on P3 Orions on anti-submarine missions during the Vietnam War. Following the end of his active duty service in the Navy, he moved to Delaware and in 1975 earned his MBA from the University of Delaware. In 1976, he ran for State Treasurer, winning the first of 12 statewide elections for political office. He served three terms as the State Treasurer, 5 terms as the U.S. Representative from Delaware, two terms as Governor of Delaware, and is currently in his second term as a U.S. Senator.